Why this fits a family on a budget
At roughly $1.55 per serving, this stew stays well within the $3/meal budget using pantry-staple canned goods and dried spices. Everything cooks in one pot in under 30 minutes with no advanced techniques required.
• 2 15oz cans canned black-eyed peas
• 1 14oz can canned crushed tomatoes
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 1 medium green bell pepper
• 3 cloves garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 0.5 tsp ground coriander
• 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1.5 cups long grain white rice
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley
1. Start rice: combine 1.5 cups rice with 3 cups water and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low, cover, and cook for 18 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is fluffy.
2. While rice cooks, dice the onion and green bell pepper into roughly 1/2-inch pieces. Mince the garlic cloves finely.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high heat. The oil is ready when it shimmers slightly, about 1 minute.
4. Add the diced onion and bell pepper to the hot oil. Cook for 4–5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion turns translucent and the edges begin to look golden.
5. Add the minced garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Stir constantly for 30–60 seconds until the spices are fragrant — the mixture will smell toasty and slightly smoky.
6. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute, pressing it into the vegetables until it darkens slightly to a deep red-brown color.
7. Pour in the crushed tomatoes and vegetable broth. Stir everything together and bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.
8. Drain and rinse both cans of black-eyed peas under cold water, then add them to the pot. Season with salt and black pepper.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 8–10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stew thickens and coats a spoon. The surface should bubble gently, not vigorously.
10. Taste and adjust salt or cayenne as needed. Roughly chop the fresh parsley.
11. Serve the stew over the cooked rice and garnish with fresh parsley.
Cost is a national-average estimate and varies by store and region.
This recipe was generated by Plento Pasto's AI from a library of family-friendly dishes and reviewed for a real photo before publishing. Cooking times, costs, and nutrition are estimates — use your judgment in the kitchen.